Das Duell

The poet and his critic – a tumultuous feud and a significant piece of German history. The "forced marriage," as Günter Grass once called it, was officially sealed on January 1, 1960: on that day, the then 39-year-old critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki discussed "The Tin Drum" by the just 32-year-old author. He panned the novel. And thus began the tumultuous relationship, marked by rivalry as well as respect, between the two prominent figures of post-war German literature. They had already met once in 1958 at the Bristol Hotel in Warsaw – both having lived through significant experiences: one had been with the Waffen-SS, the other a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto. Yet both were united by their deep love for German literature and their unwavering determination to dedicate their lives to it. Ahead of them lay over half a century of disputes, numerous novels and critiques, declarations of love and anger. Volker Weidermann vividly and colorfully narrates the interdependence of "MRR" and "GG," the conflict and closeness, outrage and relaxation. He recounts how, following the major scandal in 1995, when Reich-Ranicki literally tore apart Grass's "The Wide Field" on the now-famous cover of Der Spiegel, a reconciliatory meeting took place in 2003. At the same time, Weidermann expands his brilliant double biography of the two kings of post-war German literature into a grand panorama that reflects the history of the 20th century.